Marijuana seized from plane at Reading airport; 4 arrested

State police arrested an Arizona pilot and his three passengers who arrived at Reading Regional Airport in a plane carrying 75 bags of bulk marijuana, investigators said Wednesday.

Troopers with the State Police Central Interdiction Unit said they received a tip from a federal law enforcement agency Tuesday that the plane was destined for the airport at 3 p.m.

According to investigators:

Troopers approached the plane at 2:45 p.m. and found three passengers inside the plane and the pilot, Nasser J. Erakat, 36, Scottsdale, Ariz., outside inspecting the plane. The passengers were identified as Saleem Erakat, 36, of Scottsdale; Ali J. Erakat, 32, of Castro Valley, Calif.; and Alexis J. Lee, 31, of Oakland, Calif.

Nasser Erakat allowed troopers to look in the twin-engine Cessna, and they found 13 packages of marijuana in a large suitcase.

All four were arrested. Troopers obtained a search warrant from District Judge Ann L. Young and searched the plane Tuesday night.

They found an additional 62 packages of the drug in the cargo area along with $15,000 to $20,000. They also seized maps, receipts and documents.

An estimated value of the marijuana was unavailable.

The suspects were committed to Berks County Prison in lieu of $100,000 bail each following arraignment before Senior District Judge Richard A. Gatti in Reading Central Court. They were each charged with possessing and intending to deliver marijuana and related offenses.